University Graphics Systems (UGS)

Role: Specialty Project Manager

Date: April 2024–June 2025

Categories: Print Production, Project Management, Graphic Design, Event Planning, Merchandise design and production

Overview

UGS is a all student run and operated enterprise with yearly manager turnover. Every team has 10 student managers who are in charge of commercial printing, specialty printing, marketing as well as events and outreach. Our team consists of: 1 General Manager, 2 Account Managers, 2 Marketing Managers, 3 Project Managers and 2 Specialty Managers.

Production

Used client files and designs to produce and complete orders. Knowledgeable in multiple printing technology including:

  • Screen Printing - for orders with 20+ garments.

  • Direct-to-Garment (DTG) - for low run orders, multi-color prints

  • Dye Sublimation - print on ceramics and garments

  • UV Vinyl Printing and Cutting - printing service for stickers, window vinyls and transparent film. Would be die-cut using a flatbed cutter.

Job Description

I worked at a student run print enterprise called University Graphics Systems. I was a Specialty Project Manager, where I was responsible for the production and management of all print projects on non-conventional substrates including clothing, ceramics and wide-format vinyl.

The Team

Events and Marketing

A large part of the responsibilities of being a Specialty Manager was to help the preparation of marketing and collaborative with other clubs and organizations. These included screen printing, dye-sublimation and DTG events. Additionally, we would organize UGS events to increase sales and business by planning them around holidays and special events for better success.

Merchandise Campaigns

The passion project for our team was to create custom merchandise campaigns that could be purchased in office and online to provide more collateral to sell. We did a fall line and a spring line both surrounding San Luis Obispo to appeal to students.

Fall Merchandise Campaign

Final Designs

Front design

Project Brief

Our General Manager Maya Rotstein, tasked our team to create designs for a fall merchandise campaign. The designs would focus around San Luis Obispo or anything that students might want to purchase, no matter what major or interests.

Crewneck Design

This design was a collaboration between my general manager and I. She decided on the idea of doing a pool ball design using the area code for San Luis Obispo County which is “805”. I helped create the back graphic using Adobe Illustrator and we collaborated on the front together.

Back Design

Spring Merchandise Campaign

Marketing

This campaign we wanted to have more social media and digital content to boost interest for the campaign. In order to do this, more emphasis was on photoshoots and styling the merch for content.

Project Brief

Our manager gave us a lot of creative freedom with the designs and intended for the designs to be summery, bright and fun. We were tasked to create designs for:

  • tank top

  • t-shirt

  • baby-tee

  • Trucker hat

My Designs

I created the designs for the t-shirt and the baby-tee. I wanted to create designs that would be good for summer, beach cover ups and had that “SLO” feel without being too obvious.

I was in charge of production on all garments and used screen printing technology for all.